Police: Monroe County man assaulted woman, tried to make her commit suicide

Police: Monroe County man assaulted woman, tried to make her commit suicide

A Canadensis man allegedly beat a 40-year-old woman early Saturday and tried to force her to kill her self and write a suicide note to her children, Barrett Township police said.

The victim suffered cuts and strangulation marks to her neck, bruises to her arms, wrists, hands, back, knees, elbows and face and a fractured nose, police said. A friend took her to Pocono Medical Center where police were called on Saturday morning.

Christopher Chmielnicki, 33, of Beartown Road, allegedly attacked the woman in the early hours of Saturday. Barrett Township police did not say what prompted the attack or how Chmielnicki was related to the victim.

Police said Chmielnicki allegedly grabbed the victim by the neck and choked her until she passed out.

When she regained consciousness, she went to the bathroom and Chmielnicki barged in and pushed her, causing her to hit her head on the bathtub, police said. He then grabbed a nearby pair of scissors and put them to the victim's neck, threatening that she was going to die that night, police said.

Chmielnicki then attempted to force the victim to overdose on medicine and write a suicide note to her children, police said. During the assault, Chmielnicki took the victim's cellphone and car keys to keep her from getting help, police said. The victim was able to locate her spare keys and flee to a friend's home.

Chmielnicki was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, terroristic threats and reckless endangerment. He was arraigned by District Judge Brian Germano and sent to Monroe County Correctional Facility on $25,000 bail.